The tongue
Is the spine’s first leaf
Forests of language surround it
– Words II
Mischievous, defiant, and profound, John Berger has mesmerised generations with his artworks, novels and cultural criticism that taught generations how to see. Commemorating Berger’s 90th birthday in collaboration with Smokestack Books, we celebrate his magnitude as a poetic maestro, a rarely explored trajectory in his rich opus of work, with readings and discussion from those whose worlds he’s helped to shape.
Mon 17th October 2016
19:00
Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG
Amarjit Chandan has published five collections of poetry, two books of essays, and has co-edited The Long White Thread of Words, a forthcoming collection of work from contemporary poets responding to John Berger, published by Smokestack.
Lavinia Greenlaw is an award-wining poet, novelist and artist whose collections include Minsk, which was shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot, Forward and Whitbread Poetry prizes.
Bejan Matur is a Turkish poet, author and columnist celebrated by Berger, and one of the most important poets among a bold new women’s poetry emerging from the Middle East.
Tom Overton is the editor of Portraits: John Berger on Artists and the forthcoming Landscapes: John Berger on Art, both by Verso, and catalogued Berger’s archive.
Toby Jones is one of Britain’s most renowned actors, known both for his Olivier award winning stage work and his film roles including Frost/Nixon, Harry Potter and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
Co-organised by Dr Yasmin Gunaratnam – Reader in Sociology at Goldsmiths.
